Guess Who's Running America's Hospitals

Here's a pop quiz: Guess who's running America's hospitals?

If you said, doctors, you're wrong.

If you said, public health experts, you're wrong again.

But if you said, MBAs, you're right!

Business school graduates have replaced doctors and public health experts as CEOs of hospitals, at patients' expense. A shift that has its origin in the 1970s has evolved into a complete turnabout from the days when doctors ran hospitals. Read the article here. Maggie Mahar, Health Beat, 08/15/2008.

Trade Secrets Used To Block Disclosure Of Safety Concern

It’s hard to imagine anything standing in the way of the public’s right to know when a corporation endangers the health and safety of a community. Yet, it happens every day under the guise of protecting a corporation’s “trade secret.”

Here’s a case in point.

California officials refuse to disclose the ingredients of a chemical pesticide sprayed over fields, homes, businesses and schools in Northern California. California say it can’t identify the “inactive ingredients” of the pesticide without violating laws “governing corporate trade secrets.”

Spraying of the pesticide was suspended after residents complained that the initial application caused asthma-like symptoms, burning eyes, rashes and stomach pains. This problem raises a basic question: How can any corporation have a right keep a safety hazard a secret? Read -- Paul Pringle, LA Times 10/18/2007 Read Article: LA Times

FDA Convenes on Cold Drugs for Youngsters

A group of pediatricians told FDA advisers that cold and cough medicines should not be given to children under six years old.

An FDA panel is currently considering a petition that seeks government recognition that the medicines are ineffective and unsafe for children under six years of age.

Meanwhile, drug makers stopped the sale of over-the-counter medicines for toddlers citing potential for overdoses.

See, Andrew Bridges, LA Times 10/18/2007 Read Article: LA Times

Check Your Doctor’s Bill. Consumers Facing Rise in Medical Billing Errors

Who hasn’t looked at a doctor’s bill or hospital bill and said, “That can’t be right!” Well, it probably isn’t right!

Consumer advocates say, medical billing errors that range from a few bucks to tens of thousands are an increasingly common problem.

Medical Billing Advocates of America (MBAA) warns that coding errors, confusion over in and out of network providers, and high-deductible health plans are common problems in over-billing cases.

AP, LA Times 10/28/2007 Read Article: LA Times

HMO, Kaiser Permanente, Doctor Accused of Negligence

A doctor accused of gross negligence in the deaths of at least 2 children he helped deliver remains on the job with the nation’s largest HMO.

Beginning in 2002, “doctors and nurses repeatedly” complained to officials at Kaiser Permanente that Hamid Safari posed potential risks to patients under his care.

How did Kaiser over the years respond? This year, Kaiser finally restricted Safari’s duties.

It’s reported that California regulators are seeking to revoke or suspend Safari’s license and have fined Kaiser $3 million for its handling of physician errors throughout the state.

Tracy Weber and Charles Ornstein, LA Times 10/16/2007Read Article: LA Times

SUVs Receive Marginal Ratings for Side Impacts

Tests by the insurance industry revealed that some sport utility vehicles don't provide the side-impact protection that many consumers expect.

According to reports released Thursday by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the 2008 --

Chevrolet TrailBlazer,

Jeep Grand Cherokee,

Nissan Pathfinder, and

Nissan Xterra.

All of these vehicles received marginal ratings in the institute’s 31 mph side-impact testing. Vehicles evaluated by the institute are rated good, acceptable, marginal or poor based on the results of testing.

Ken Thomas, The Washington Post 10/11/2007 Read Article: The Washington Post

Child Cough Medicines Recalled

Johnson & Johnson has ordered a voluntary recall of certain cough and cold products for infants amid reports that misuse could lead to overdoses.

A Johnson & Johnson spokesman says the recall affects infants under two years of age who are particularly at risk for overdose if the products were not administered properly.

The products being recalled include: infants' Tylenol Drops Plus Cold; Concentrated Infants' Tylenol Drops Plus Cold & Cough; Pediacare Infant Drops Decongestant; Pediacare Infant Drops Decongestant & Cough; Pediacare Infant Dropper Decongestant; Pediacare Infant Dropper Long-Acting Cough; and Pediacare Infant Dropper Decongestant & Cough (PE) products.

The Food and Drug Administration issued a public health advisory earlier this year warning parents not give cough and cold medicines to infants and toddlers without a doctor’s direction.

AP, The Washington Post 10/11/2007 Read Article: The Washington Post

Study says, Hospital Patients at Major Risk from Staph Infections

In the most comprehensive survey of its kind, researchers have found that as many as 1.2 million patients are infected with drug-resistant staph infections each year.

The figure is more than 10 times that of previous estimates.

The study also found that between 48,000 to 119,000 more patients may be dying of infections each year than previously estimated. The study was conducted by the Association for Processionals in Infection & Epidemiology. Judith Graham, Chicago Tribune 06/25/2007 Read Article: Chicago Tribune

Good Guys Win. Federal Judge Orders FEMA to Stop Abrupt Cutoff of Rental Aid

The Bush administration doesn’t care about the Katrina-Rita Diasporas; that much is painfully clear. But, U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan apparently does.

Berrigan, who was a Clinton appointee, ordered FEMA to stop cutting off low-income rental assistance to Katrina-Rita hurricane victims without giving them advance written notice and letting them know they have a right to a hearing.

In her ruling, Berrigan states that FEMA appears to treat plaintiffs as "gnats to be brushed away." The ruling also states, "FEMA has been created by Congress and the President to serve the needs of citizens at their darkest hours, which for some citizens are being now measured in terms of years." Susan Finch, New Orleans Times-Picayune 06/16/2007Read Article: New Orleans Times-Picayune

Hiss! Health Officials Withheld Cancer Evidence

How nasty can you get.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that Minnesota Health Department withheld information about asbestos-related cancers that killed 35 miners. The Star uncovered documents that exposed the nasty behavior.

The recovered documents showed that Minnesota Health Department officials had known for over a year that mesothelioma caused the deaths of more miners than previously suspected but failed to disclose the information despite urging by scientists.

Health officials have defended the silence saying they did not want to raise alarm without concrete evidence.

Yeah... right!

David Shaffer, Minneapolis Star Tribune 06/16/2007 Read Article: Minneapolis Star Tribune